Newburg Annual Reports: 2015-16

There is a strong increase in student use of the OPAC and library website to access books and resources.

Circulation has decreased this year, but after reviewing the library usage, I correlate the decrease to the increase in collaboration.  Collaborative lessons seemed to fill the class time and students did not have the time to check out books.  Next year, I will organize time better to encourage checkout along with lessons.

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COPYRIGHT DATE

Our collection has an average copyright date of 2001, which is an increase compared to last year. The age of the collection is important to keep information current for student research.  A school library collection should also have at least ten books per student enrollment, so our collection does not meet that status.  We have 1,000 students in our school, but only have 6,800 books.  One goal for next year is to continue to weed the collection for out of date material and fundraise to add additional funds to buy books and bring the collection to a level that is the standard for school libraries.

FUNDING

NMS library has a budget of $6,500 from the school.  The average budget that should be allocated is $15 per student, so our library should receive $15,000.  I compensate the lower funding by holding two book fairs a year, where I usually make an additional $3,000 fro the library.  This year, I also wrote a grant and received $4,500 in books! 

Newburg Middle Library receives a grant to support school libraries

As part of an ongoing effort to keep books and reading a number one priority in the United States, bestselling author James Patterson, together with Scholastic Reading Club made a commitment to help save school libraries nationwide.  Newburg was one of 467 winners, selected from 27,924 applicants, who received a grant ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. “These grants are my humble acknowledgement of some of the terrific work taking place in libraries,” says Patterson.  “Here’s to communities supporting school libraries. Here’s to a country that makes reading a priority.”  Applicants were asked to fill out an online application posing the question, “What would your school library do with $1,000 to $10,000?” The full list of grant recipients is available online at www.scholastic.com/pattersonpartnership. Patterson hopes that the high volume of requests will raise awareness for the problems facing school libraries today.  Thank you, #PattersonPledge!

Each year, the Newburg School Library sponsors the great storytelling of Roberta Simpson Brown. Students get to hear the art of storytelling, learn the craft of writing a scary story, and learn the fluency of telling scary stories.  This October, students that participate will get a wonderful experience of incorporating the arts into their core content.  Roberta’s goal is to keep the stories alive, and she dedicates her time to teaching kids how to love literature and gain life long skills in reading, writing, and communication.

Welcome Author Mary Knight to Newburg!

Having lost most of his family to coal mining accidents as a little boy, Curley Hines lives with his grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Wonder Gap, Kentucky. Ever since Curley can remember, Papaw has been giving him a word each week to learn and live. Papaw says words are Curley's way out of the holler, even though Curley has no intention of ever leaving.

When a new coal boss takes over the local mining company, life as Curley knows it is turned upside down. Suddenly, his best friend, Jules, is interested in the coal boss's son, and worse, the mining company threatens to destroy Curley and Papaw's mountain. Now Curley faces a difficult choice. Does he use his words to speak out against Big Coal and save his mountain, or does he remain silent and save his way of life?

From debut author Mary Knight comes a rich, lyrical, and utterly transporting tale about friendship, the power of words, and the difficult hurdles we must overcome for the people and places we love.

One of Louisville’s “Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, inspires young people to find their greatness within.  Below are his six principles of finding greatness: 

          Confidence             Giving

         Conviction             Respect

         Dedication            Spirituality

To celebrate African American History month, the library is sponsoring an essay contest.  Write an essay about an African American History figure that inspires you to find your greatness within.  How has their history helped you find your greatness, and what do you do to show you also exhibit the same greatness within?  

You could win your own Read poster or tickets to the Ali Center.  All essays are due by February 28^th.